“But the land that you are going over to possess is a land of hills and valleys, which drinks water by the rain from heaven, a land that the Lord your God cares for. The eyes of the Lord your God are always upon it, from the beginning of the year to the end of the year” (Deuteronomy 11:11-12). The land the Israelites entered was one abundantly blessed by God. Whether one looked to the hills or to the valleys, God’s care was clear. It was understood that God was behind the fertile land from which they would reap bountiful harvests. They and the land were recognized to be in the protection of God by their enemies. As long as they remained faithful to God, He would always be with them, to provide and to care for them. The time the Israelites spent in this land, though, would not always be easy. They had allowed idolatrous nations to remain among them. These nations would be a snare to Israel, seeking to turn them away from God. Their lives would find hills and valleys, good times as well as bad, trials with the blessings. If only they had remembered that God was with them through it all! By forsaking God, they abandoned their source of blessings. They would one day find themselves in a foreign land, taken captive because of their sins. Not all of life is filled with mountain top experiences, but neither is life always lived in the valleys. We also …

What does Islam say about Jesus Christ? As stated on one Muslim website” Muslims do not believe that Jesus is God, nor they believe that God ever chose to come down to earth in a form of a man to die for our sins to purify us and forgive us. According to Islam, Jesus never died on the cross, nor ever wanted to die on the cross, nor ever was born to die on the cross. Muslims believe that Jesus was sentenced to death, and people thought that he got executed on the cross. The Holy Quran rejects this idea, and claims that it is a false one. Jesus never died on the cross, nor he ever died for anyone’s sins. The Koran, 4:156-158, says, “And their saying: Surely we have killed the Messiah, Isa son of Marium, the apostle of Allah; and they did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them so (like Isa) and most surely those who differ therein are only in a doubt about it; they have no knowledge respecting it, but only follow a conjecture, and they killed him not for sure.” In contrast, Scripture is clear that Jesus is indeed the Son of God. Jesus affirmed, “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30). By inspiration John wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His …

Part of the human experience is the emotions we feel. Through these emotions we know joy, love, happiness, contentment and a host of other positive values. Not all of our emotions are as pleasant, as we also feel pain, hurt and sorrow. Sometimes, we inflict these feelings on each other, and because of their intensity, we may find it hard to forgive. The pain can be so great that we think we can never forgive. As we know what it is to feel pain and sorrow, so does our Heavenly Father. Each time the word grief or grieve is used in Scripture about God, it is always due to sin, our sin. God was grieved during the days of Noah because the thoughts of humanity were “only evil continually” (Genesis 6:5). King Saul grieved God because of his disobedience (1 Samuel 15:11). By our sins we can grieve the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30). Our sins have demanded a price, which is the blood of the only Son of God. How much sorrow has each of our sins caused? Still, God loved us enough to send His Son that we might know His forgiveness. God’s forgiveness is complete, never holding a grudge, never recalling forgiven sins to gain an advantage. Once sins are forgiven by God, they are forgotten (Hebrews 8:12). God offers us an example for the attitude that we should have for one another. “And be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving one another, just as God …

“And why not say, just as some people slanderously claim we say, ‘Let us do evil so that good may come’? Their condemnation is deserved!” (Romans 3:8). Situation ethics is a system of ethics by which acts are judged within their contexts instead of by categorical principles. Situational ethics is a teleological or consequential theory in that it is concerned with the outcome or consequences of an action. It is concerned with the end, as opposed to an action being intrinsically wrong. In the case of situational ethics, the ends can justify the means, so it is claimed. In the Scripture quoted, Paul confronted those who would accuse him of preaching a cheap gospel. The grace of God is how all will be saved, both Jew and Gentile. While God’s grace does not negate the necessity of obedience, it does emphasize no one can be saved by one’s own good deeds. In a sense, they were accusing Paul of applying situational ethics. His response to such a charge indicates what God thinks of such: “their condemnation is deserved.” God’s truths are to govern the situations we encounter because they are based on His love for us. Paul instructed Timothy, “Retain the standard of sound words which you have heard from me, in the faith and love which are in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). “And this is love, that we walk according to His commandments. This is the commandment, just as you have heard from the beginning, that you should …

According to an AP news report, archaeologists have unearthed a 3,500 year old door to the afterlife. The door came from the tomb of User, the chief minister of Queen Hatshepsut, a long ruling 15th century B.C. queen from the New Kingdom, with a famous mortuary temple near Luxor in southern Egypt. User was vizier for 20 years, acquiring the titles of prince and mayor of Luxor. He was in charge of running the day-to-day bureaucracy for the kingdom. The door found in User’s tomb, actually a recessed niche, is something found in nearly all ancient Egyptian tombs. It was meant to take the spirits of the dead to and from the afterworld. It was covered with religious texts, which would aid one’s entry to and from the afterlife. For the ancient Egyptians, the tomb was not just a place to lay a corpse, but it was the home of the deceased, supplied with all the goods needed to exist after death. This door, then, allowed the souls of the deceased to travel in and out of the burial chamber. Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes, “He has made everything appropriate in its time. He has also set eternity in their heart, yet so that man will not find out the work which God has done from the beginning even to the end” (3:11). That every culture has some type of belief in life after death affirms humanity does indeed have eternity set within us. The problem is finding the correct way …

Several articles appear around our brotherhood from time to time dealing with comments made by some who have left our fellowship. One emphasized how preachers are leaving our pulpits due to the church enforcing tradition as truth, specifically in rejecting instrumental music, which the author said to be a church of Christ tradition. Jeff Jenkins, Gospel preacher in Lewisville, Texas responded to such, “Isn’t it interesting that when some want to change the church they state that any doctrine they are not happy with is just ‘our tradition’?” I also read a post on Facebook where a Gospel preacher rebutted the idea another offered that the church is losing members because worship is antiquated and irrelevant. The focus was how we need to change if we’re going to keep younger members and attract others. Years ago, these concepts were expressed in the Gospel Advocate magazine where an older preacher recounted his conversation with a younger preacher. They were talking about the current state of the church, and the older preacher emphasized the need to remain true to Scripture. The younger preacher responded, “Your generation has had the opportunity to make the church what it wanted, now it’s our turn.” The emphasis implied that one can do with the church whatever he feels is needed or desirable for the age in which it exists. Obviously, from these examples, there are those advocating changes in the church. There are changes that need to be made, certainly, to lead us to a greater zeal for …

“One hundred years from my day there will not be a Bible in the earth except one that is looked upon by an antiquarian curiosity seeker” (Voltaire, 1694-1778). If you don’t recognize the name of Voltaire, you aren’t alone. He was a French satirist and philosopher from the Enlightenment Era. He was not an atheist, but rather a deist, who denied God had given us any specific revelation (the Bible), and that He was not involved in any aspect of life beyond the original creation. His statement about Scripture stands to remind us of those who think they know more than God. The Bible is still known and read, while Voltaire, outside of university settings, typically is not. I suppose every age has such “enlightened” folks who think that they know better than what God has revealed of Himself through His Word. More recently, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) aired a NOVA program entitled, “The Bible’s Buried Secrets,” which claims the Bible is not true. The producer of the program, Paula Apsell, was quoted in an interview as saying, “This program is designed for intelligent people who are willing to change their mind…it will give intelligent people who want to read the Bible in a modern way a chance. If we insist on reading the Bible literally, in 25 years nobody will read it any longer.” The spirit of Voltaire, which is the spirit of sin, is still at work in the world. Notice how those who believe the Bible …

“For judgment is without mercy to the one who has shown no mercy. Mercy triumphs over judgment” (James 2:13). While we may ask for justice against others, we usually want mercy for ourselves. A dictionary definition of mercy is “kindness in excess of what may be expected.” This fits well with the New Testament term, which refers to the outward manifestation of pity. It assumes need on the part of the one who receives it, and resources adequate to meet the need on the part of the one who shows it. When it comes to forgiveness, God alone has the resources to offer mercy and kindness to us. He is the Father of mercies (2 Corinthians 1:3), and He extends it through His Son, Jesus. Our sin creates the need for mercy, as sin brings judgment (Romans 6:23). Those who come to Christ, who yield their lives to Him and submit to His will, can find God’s mercy, God’s forgiveness. “But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved)” (Ephesians 2:3-4). The only way to God’s mercy is through the Son, and the way to the Son is submission. Mercy, however, is not reserved for the alien sinner only. God’s mercy is needed by the child of God as well. Not one of us lives perfectly by the will of God. How many …

Scripture is clear that before one obeys the Gospel and before being cleansed by the blood of Christ, one is outside of Christ, separate and apart from God’s grace and removed from a relationship with God. “So then you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus Himself as the cornerstone. The whole building, being put together by Him, grows into a holy sanctuary in the Lord. You also are being built together for God’s dwelling in the Spirit” (Ephesians 2:19-22 HCSB*). The term foreigner has reference to one who is a short-term traveler in a country not one’s own. They would be non-residents with no rights. The term stranger is similar, referring to a temporary dweller not having a settled habitation in the place where he currently resides. Without Christ, one is not part of the kingdom of God, “foreigners to the covenants of the promise, without hope and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12). What a blessing it is not to be a foreigner to God and His kingdom, but to be part of His covenant people, to know the depth of His love and to have the promise of eternal life. However, such doesn’t mean the Christian is not a foreigner or stranger in other ways. Peter reminded his readers, “Dear friends, I urge you as strangers and temporary residents to abstain from fleshly desires …

Parking lot dings; it seems you can’t avoid them. Not only so, my car seems to attract them! I’ve never had as many on any other vehicle I’ve owned than on this one. It seems every time I come out from wherever I have it parked, someone has left their mark on it, literally. One went down the entire passenger side, starting at the back gas cover door to the front bumper. Another is on the driver side front bumper, with scratches so deep the paint is gone. Furthermore, the passenger side door has had about 100 identifiable spots where people opening their doors has whacked mine. In times past, people seemed more concerned about making sure such things didn’t happen, because they didn’t want anyone doing the same thing to their vehicles. However, in today’s environment, people don’t seem to care. No notes are left, either of apology or of insurance, and if you catch someone in the act, they act offended if you mention it. All of this illustrates how courtesy seems to have disappeared. When selfishness rules, others don’t matter. “So what if I put a scratch in your paint? I was in a hurry.” “I don’t have time to be careful opening my door.” “So what if I came in too wide and fast? You shouldn’t have parked where I wanted to be anyway.” It’s easy to justify selfish actions, at least until it happens to us. While dings in a car may seem minor, do …

“Discern” means, “to come to know or recognize mentally, to see or understand the difference; showing insight and understanding.” In a practical way, one exercises discernment when he or she goes shopping. You may look at two competing brands of vegetables, with one priced higher than the other, and read the labels to figure out what the difference between them is. You may hear of something with which you’re unfamiliar, so you research to determine more about it and gain a better grasp of what it means. A discerning individual gains a level of wisdom regarding what is being investigated, going beyond mere perceptions to making detailed judgments and forming values from such. Scripture speaks of discernment as well. Paul encouraged the Ephesians to discern what is pleasing to the Lord (Ephesians 5:10). Such implies not everything pleases God, and we need to understand what does please Him as well as what is the difference between the two. This is illustrated by Paul speaking of God’s wrath coming on those who walk disobediently, and how we should live as children of light (5:6-9). We have to look beyond our personal feelings and desires to please God, as our feelings and desires may be determined by the influence of sin. The writer of Proverbs reminds us, “Every man’s way is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts” (Proverbs 21:2). So, what is our criteria for discernment? How can we properly evaluate our desires and feelings, the choices …

By definition, character is the complex of mental and ethical traits marking and often individualizing a person, group or nation, moral excellence or firmness. The term in the Greek carries the idea of “the fact that one has proved oneself true or the act of proving himself true” (The Complete Word Study Dictionary – New Testament). This is the idea Paul expresses of Timothy to the church at Philippi in recommending him to labor with them in the Gospel. “But you know his proven character, because he has served with me in the gospel ministry like a son with a father” (Philippians 2:22). Paul also mentioned how God uses the trials of life to produce such in the life of every Christian. “And not only that, but we also rejoice in our afflictions, because we know that affliction produces endurance, endurance produces proven character, and proven character produces hope” (Romans 5:3-4). Obviously character isn’t something that happens by accident, but something we develop through the course of our lives. It doesn’t happen automatically when we obey the Gospel, but it is something we devote ourselves to forming in our hearts and lives. It doesn’t come through theoretical reasoning, but rather character develops in the arena of everyday living, dealing with the good and bad of life, fighting battles for what is right and overcoming those forces that would thwart the goal of holiness in us. Paul reminded the Corinthians, “I wrote for this purpose: to test your character to see …

Television commercials are interesting to me. They are typically well produced and executed, designed to attract attention to the specific product or service being promoted, to convince you it is best equipped for you to spend your money on them. Commercials, however, are more than just marketing tools, as many times they reflect what are current trends or attitudes in society as part of the appeal to attract customers. One such commercial that caught my attention is one from an online travel service. It shows people in a variety of situations, each with a caption about what one might be looking for in life, and, of course, how it can get you to that destination, wherever it may be. The caption “Find your…” is presented with various terms used to show what people may be looking for in life. So, the travel service finds your connection and appeals to one’s curiosity, gratitude, future and so forth. What caught my interest was when the commercial captioned “find your religion” with the picture of a major league baseball park. In a way, it captured the sense of devotion people give to sports as best described by the term religion. The term for religion (religious) in the New Testament describes one who is reverent, who fears God. The service which comes from such an individual may be sincere or hypocritical depending upon the individual. By its very definition, one who believes in God is religious, and any expression of faith constitutes religion, whether …

I read an article several years ago entitled, “Not Many People Want to Go to Heaven Anymore.” I believe what was written then applies to us more today than it did in the past. According to the author, many people still believe heaven exists, but they don’t let the reality of heaven have any influence in their lives today. The author states of many people, “They find the hope of heaven a comfort at death, but would much prefer there be no death at all.” There is more than a little truth to what this person says. Do we have a heavenly view of how we live life every day? This isn’t to say we should all want to die immediately. However, do we approach life now so that whenever we face death later, whenever it happens, we have a sure hope in being in eternity with God (Hebrews 6:19-20)? One of Satan’s greatest temptations to us is to become consumed with the physical. It’s easy to give the spiritual just a token significance, to have little, if any, concern about the spiritual. To believe in God, to attend worship occasionally, to pray here and there, is more than enough religion for many. God is a loving God, so it doesn’t really matter all that much anyway, may be the way some people think. Heaven is everyone’s prerogative, and ultimately God will save everybody, many people hopefully theorize. Again, this is a delusion of Satan. Jesus’ words are still true …

“I always do my best to have a clear conscience toward God and men” (Acts 24:16). Such was Paul’s assessment of his life to Felix, in defense of the Gospel by which he lived, for which he was charged by the Jews. The term translated “best” literally means to exert all one’s diligence, study and industry; to endeavor, to strive with all one’s energies. When Paul, then, said he did his best, that’s exactly what he meant; he offered his best to God in seeking to live as God wanted. This is evident in what he said to the Galatians; “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Paul did such because of the depth of love he had for the God who had offered him the best in everything. The course of Paul’s life, while he thought it was pleasing to God, was not. Christ’s death on the cross was for him as much as for anyone else. God’s grace was as available to Paul as much as for anyone else. The promise of eternal life in Christ was as available to Paul as much as it is for anyone else. Paul understood this great love God had for him, and from love for God, he gave himself to Him, in love, doing his …

“They will still bear fruit in old age…” (Psalm 92:14). Now here’s a subject for a doctoral dissertation: retirement! I have tried to research, but I have been unable to locate much information about retirement. Oh, not from folks who are retired, to describe what it is like being retired. I mean about the origin of retirement. I have a feeling, at least in our modern era, it’s integrally connected with the Social Security Act of 1935. This Act provided what was then called Old-Age benefits (for retirement), in addition to other benefits, for most in American society. Biblically, retirement is mentioned of those Levites who had reached the age of 50, at which age they were to cease serving in the Tabernacle (tent of meeting). Of course, this didn’t mean they could quit serving God altogether. The above passage speaks of the life of the righteous (Psalm 92:12), so all, including Levites who no longer served in the Tabernacle, were to serve God while they had the physical ability to do so. This thought is confirmed to us as Christians in the New Testament as heaven is spoken of as a rest from labor for those who die in the Lord (Revelation 14:13). While it may be permissible, and even desirable, to retire from one’s secular employment, there is no such thing in the life of a Christian. Unfortunately, there are those who do retire from the Lord’s work while they still have the physical ability and opportunity to …

It’s easy to be negative and to find fault with about anything. If you listen to most conversations long enough, you will usually hear of some complaint, some problem or something bad that someone has experienced. It’s true of our government, our neighborhood, our schools, our families, our jobs and many other aspects of life. Sometimes, we hear of it even in the church. Of course, we shouldn’t tolerate sin or doctrinal error. We must stand firm in the faith and seek to live by the standard that God has given to us in His Word. However, not everything about the church is bad or negative. There is much good to say about the church! We should be positive about the church of our Lord, about our being part of that wonderful body and about the hope it provides to each of us every day. There is no greater institution ever established on our behalf than the church. Christ offered His life on its behalf (Ephesians 5:25-27) that we might be added to it, to have our sins forgiven and be acceptable before God. God has organized it so it helps us grow and mature in Him and His salvation (Ephesians 4:12-16). The church encourages us to be our best individually and to reach out to our community in order to be at our best collectively. There are no better people than those within the church. Who else cares about our needs, our problems, our goals than one’s brothers and …

Have you noticed how many churches are trying to “repackage” what they offer to make it sound more modern and attractive to people? A denomination in one town has signs out that it has changed its Bible class time to “Foundational Studies,” and worship time is now “Fellowship Opportunities.” It reminds me of a billboard that I saw a while back; it read, “Church 2.0: Upgraded for the new millennium.” Of course, it was a play on computer language to attract attention. It certainly caught my attention. Does the church need upgrading? Well, since the church is comprised of people, in a sense, we all need upgrading. If we think of the term upgrade as a synonym for growth, there is always room for improvement in our lives. We are to measure our lives by Christ (Ephesians 4:15), which continually encourages us to reflect more of Him in our lives. In our attitude to please God, we should excel still more (1 Thessalonians 4:1). In our love for each other, we can excel still more (1 Thessalonians 4:9-10). In the flesh, we have a constant battle with sin. If we’re honest with ourselves, there is always more we can do to be like Christ. On the other hand, if we are thinking of the doctrine and practice of the church, of something different than that revealed in Scripture, then to upgrade is to destroy the Gospel message and forfeit our salvation. Jude reminds us that the faith has been “once …

By definition, hate speech is a controversial term for speech intended to degrade, intimidate or incite violence or prejudicial action against someone based on one’s race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability. The term covers written as well as oral communication. The accusation of hate speech has been used at times against religion. In 2010, a preacher in North West England was charged with causing “harassment, alarm or distress” after a police community support officer (PCSO) overheard him reciting a number of sins referred to in the Bible, including blasphemy, drunkenness and same sex relationships. In 2008, Zondervan and Thomas Nelson publishers were sued for the Bible translations they published, which state that homosexuality is a sin. Is Christianity and the Bible guilty of hate speech? Certainly Scripture is clear that truth is to be spoken, but to be spoken in love (Ephesians 5:15). A Christian’s speech is to be with grace or gracious (Colossians 4:6), and one is to be ready “always to give answer to every man that asketh you a reason concerning the hope that is in you, yet with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15). Certainly no one should speak in a way that is intended to hurt or incite one against another. To speak of sin, however, and what the inspired Word of God says about it, is not to degrade, intimidate, incite violence or prejudice. It is to teach truth and instruct in matters that have spiritual significance. Hearing something with which one may …

Have you ever heard of a cargo cult? While prevalent during the World War II era, some are still active today. According to Wikipedia, “a cargo cult is a Melanesian movement encompassing a diverse range of practices and occurring in the wake of contact with the commercial networks of colonizing societies. The name derives from the belief that various ritualistic acts will lead to a bestowing of material wealth (cargo).” The supply drops used on these islands during the war included not only military equipment but other types of goods, such as clothing, medicines and food – items attractive to the native population. Wikipedia goes on to say: Since the modern manufacturing process is unknown to them, members, leaders, and prophets of the cults maintain that the manufactured goods of the non-native culture have been created by spiritual means, such as through their deities and ancestors. These goods are intended for the local indigenous people, but the foreigners have unfairly gained control of these objects through malice or mistake. Thus, a characteristic feature of cargo cults is the belief that spiritual agents will, at some future time, give much valuable cargo and desirable manufactured products to the cult members. To try and gain access to the cargo they saw coming to the foreigners, the natives believed that by imitating the actions of the foreigners, the “gods” would send them cargo as well. Notable examples of cargo cult activity include the setting up of mock airstrips, airports, offices, and dining rooms, …

You may or may not have heard of a person named Stephanie Stephenson. Several years ago, she was working in Branson, Missouri as an understudy in one of the productions staged there. She landed a choice role in the touring company of Les Miserables. Her excitement faded, however, when she found out she would portray a prostitute in a street scene. She would have had to wear a revealing costume and be poked, prodded and fondled by male actors. Her choice? She quit and went back to Branson. She said, “People work all their lives to get to ‘Les Miz.’ I knew that I might be giving up a lot. There’s a fine line between the morals and going over that line.” The executive producer said he was shocked she quit the play, adding she could have played the role to “great acclaim” and “probably end up on Broadway.” He also said, “I respect what she did. I think she’s a brave young girl to forgo an amazing career boost.” I admire her nerve to stand up for what she believed in. Stephanie isn’t a New Testament Christian, but her choice illustrates the commitment every New Testament Christian should have. When you obey the Gospel, you are proclaiming that you choose Christ over the world. He comes first. You will live for Him – no matter what. I wonder, though, how many New Testament Christians would have made her choice. I say that, seeing numbers decrease by almost half on Sunday …